Sonlight offers curriculum to students from Pre-School through high school! In partnering with students and families as they develop their love for learning, we also offer scholarships to exceptional, servant-hearted, Sonlight-educated students. Meet this year’s winners!
We're so excited to introduce you to the remarkable winners of this year's Sonlight Scholarship. These students are shining examples of what's possible with a Sonlight education.
They've each been awarded a substantial scholarship—ranging from $4,000 to $20,000—to help them continue their education and pursue their passions. We're confident they'll go on to do great things, and we are expectant for what God will do through them.
$20,000 Winner ($5,000 per year): Avalyn G. of Oceanside, CA
Avalyn is extremely grateful to have been homeschooled, along with her twin sister, for her entire life. Growing up with Sonlight, she has been instilled with a passion for reading and a love for learning that she will never lose. She has always treasured getting to curl up with a good book and read the afternoon away.
Homeschooling has also helped her to foster a close-knit relationship with her family and church community. The genuine faith that she witnessed in her parents led her to accept Christ at a very young age, and in high school, she learned more about God’s love and the boldness she could have in her faith because of it.
Along with her faith, her love for music is a defining aspect of her life. Since she was young, she’s spent countless hours singing around the house. She started learning piano when she was nine, fell in love with the instrument, and eventually began guitar and voice lessons.
Because of her passion for music, she joined her church’s high school worship team and now leads worship in many of her high school programs, church services, and women’s ministry meetings. She also enjoys composing her own music and teaching piano lessons. When she’s not engrossed in a book or song, you can find her:
- listening to audiobooks,
- skateboarding,
- volunteering at her local junior marksmanship program,
- spending time with her friends and family, and
- participating in and leading Bible studies with friends from church.
For a time, Avalyn didn’t know what she wanted to pursue after high school; recently, God pointed her toward pursuing worship ministry. She plans to study at California Baptist University, where she will major in Music for Worship Arts and Ministry, and she hopes to be a worship leader and music teacher. But she’s excited to see where God leads her.
$10,000 Winners ($2,500 per year)
Addison B. of Greenfield, IN
Having used Sonlight since preschool, Addison is a proud, lifelong Sonlight Curriculum student. Her early love for stories was fueled by favorite read-alouds like My Father’s Dragon and George Müller. Among all her studies, Addison’s favorite cores were Level J (History of Science), Classical Literature, and U.S. Government/Civics.
Addison benefited from homeschooling because it provided flexibility and the enrichment of hands-on experiences. She cherished time with her grandparents, visits to art museums or libraries, and trying activities that helped shape her diverse passions. This foundation fostered her love of reading, history, and meaningful community engagement.
Since 2018, Addison has volunteered 857 hours at Conner Prairie Living History Museum, where she brings the past to life through first-person interpretation. In addition to volunteering, she enjoys:
- competing as a 4-year varsity hurdler,
- clogging,
- coaching other clogging students,
- mentoring with the CCA Youth Leadership Council, and
- performing each year at community events.
Faith has been at the heart of Addison’s educational journey. Having been a Christian since age six, she is so thankful for Sonlight nurturing her spiritual growth. She has been inspired by the stories of missionaries and has read nearly the entire Christian Heroes: Then and Now series. She is active in her church and youth group, having gone on her first mission trip to Haiti at age 11.
This fall, Addison is excited to attend one of the three schools she has been recruited to run track for: Cedarville University, Grace College, or the University of Indianapolis. She plans to major in Exercise Science with a minor in French and aspires to earn her Ph.D. in Physical Therapy.
Addison is immensely grateful for the foundation Sonlight has given her, not just in academics but in faith and character. She looks forward to continuing to follow God on the great adventure of life, trusting Him to guide her as she strives to make a meaningful Kingdom impact in her community and beyond.
Karli R. of Earlham, IA
Karli has been homeschooled and has been using Sonlight since preschool. She has a passion for impacting culture for Christ, and Sonlight has helped her develop a strong foundation based on God’s Word. She desires to use her life to glorify God and strengthen the Body of Christ through pursuing a career in the Christian music industry.
Through her singing and songwriting, Karli hopes to encourage and challenge Christians to grow in their faith and impact the world like Jesus, and she is passionate about influencing culture by pursuing excellence in her field and boldly glorifying Christ.
She hopes to write songs that help people understand that they are:
- incomparably loved by God,
- called into relationship with Him, and
- empowered to be bold in Truth and beauty while loving others in a way that beats after His heart.
Karli has competed in the American Legion Oratorical Contest since her sophomore year of high school. As a sophomore, she won third place at state, and as a junior, she won first place at state and competed at Nationals.
She also enjoys literature and writing, and she won first place in the One Teen Story Contest in 2024. Karli participates in drama as well, where she has had the privilege of editing audio for the group’s annual radio drama, which she directed this year.
Karli also has a heart for service and enjoys discussing the Word in her youth group. She has volunteered at the Homeschool Iowa Conference for four years, and this past year, she co-coordinated volunteers for the conference with her mother.
Karli has loved music for as long as she can remember. She plays piano and guitar, sings and writes songs, and uses these talents as a part of her church’s youth band. She aims to pursue a career as a Christian singer-songwriter or in music marketing, and she plans on double majoring in Music Industry Studies and Advertising, likely at Lipscomb University.
Luke W. of Newark, OH
Luke is the youngest of three and has been using Sonlight since kindergarten. Homeschooling fostered Luke’s passions for missions, the outdoors, music, and education.
Desiring to serve the Lord overseas, Luke went on three different 7-to-8-week-long mission trips to Florida (2021), Honduras (2022), and Malawi (2024) with Teen Missions International. Throughout all the varied experiences and challenges, Luke grew immensely in his relationship with the Lord. Through the work projects, interactions with local communities, and presenting the Gospel, his experiences grounded him in the true meaning of being a “servant leader” and the joy of serving others before himself.
Luke spends extensive time outdoors, especially through involvement with his local Trail Life USA troop. Throughout his past eight years, he has grown in his leadership, knowledge of God’s creation, serving God locally, and teaching others to become Christ-like men. In January 2025, Luke was awarded Trail Life’s highest rank, the Freedom Award.
One of Luke’s favorite pastimes is exploring the world of music. Luke has played in various honors bands, competitions, and groups, performing several solos, teaching beginning percussion students, and helping out in the worship band. Luke especially loves to create his own music to describe emotions or to create pictures using the piano and percussion instruments.
In the fall of 2023, Luke started taking dual enrollment classes at Mount Vernon Nazarene University to learn more about Engineering. He has thrived with the challenges offered in the program, developing a deep love for the sciences, particularly engineering and math. He loves seeing God’s design in everything. Upon graduation, Luke will attend Mount Vernon Nazarene University to study mechanical engineering with a minor in music.
As Luke heads into college, he plans to lean into God’s promise that He will establish his steps (Proverbs 16:9). Whether that takes him overseas or continuing to earn a Ph.D. in Bioengineering, Luke wants to follow God’s direction. His life mission is this: to carry the Gospel where God calls him and to use his talents and knowledge to further the Kingdom.
Nathaniel D. Olathe, KS
Nathaniel is the oldest of nine siblings, all of whom have used, are using, or are going to use Sonlight’s curricula. Nathaniel has loved reading since he first learned how at age three. Receiving a copy of Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” for his eighth birthday ignited in him a desire to read book after book, a craving that Sonlight was able to satisfy while also providing education and spiritual guidance.
Nathaniel has moved several times, but it was Kansas City that first felt like home. Soon after moving there, the D family was introduced to Bible Quizzing, a fun and competitive program that gets kids memorizing the word of God like never before. Since then, Nathaniel has memorized the entire book of Romans, as well as Philippians, 1 Timothy, and thousands of other verses.
He has won the Bible Quizzing Fellowship national championship three years in a row and is currently memorizing the book of Luke in the hopes of making it four. Through Bible Quizzing, Nathaniel has grown much closer to God and established a deep understanding of the scriptures.
Nathaniel’s thirst for knowledge has led him to pursue chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis, where he hopes to learn more about God through scientific research. With the knowledge and experience gained from Sonlight and Bible Quizzing, Nathaniel hopes to be a light for Christ as he goes off to college. He wants to set a good example and pave the way for his eight younger siblings as they, too, start preparing for college and life in general. Nathaniel thanks Sonlight and their program for making it possible for homeschoolers like him to get a faith-based, self-paced education and setting them up for success!
$4,000 Winner ($1,000 per year)
Anne T. of Woodbury, MN
Anne was born and raised in the United States to Kiu-Yuen and Jing Tse, who homeschooled her from kindergarten onward. She fondly remembers sitting on the couch for hours as her mom read Sonlight favorites to her over and over. As she got older, she devoured the higher Literature cores almost faster than her parents could purchase them!
Her education has been a mix of subjects taught by her mother, self-learned Advanced Placement courses, a period in an online school for Third-culture kids (TCKs) and other homeschoolers all over the world, and most recently, full-time dual enrollment at a private Christian college and a large public state university near her home in Minnesota. Her experience in this diversity of learning environments has trained her to challenge herself no matter where she is and rely on God’s grace in her academics. She is a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, as well as a Grand Honors Award winner from the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth for her 8th grade SAT score.
Anne also loves both listening to and making music. She has led musical worship teams in both youth and adult services at her church since her freshman year of high school, and improvising worship songs and musicals and her own inventions on the piano are some of her favorite pastimes.
Two summers ago, her family visited Taiwan for the first time to serve there for eleven weeks. She quickly fell in love with the children at the foster care organization in Taipei, where they were staying, and she and her sister returned the following year by themselves to serve there again. She hopes to continue her missionary work in years to come. Having been raised in a Mandarin-speaking home and a Chinese church, Anne views Taiwan as a potential mission field for her ministry in the future.
Areas of interest for her career include education, economics, and filmmaking. Anne hopes to begin pursuing these in her undergrad this September, and she is confident that no matter where she ends up, she will enjoy glorifying God and carrying out His mission in whatever circles He leads her to.
Apollonia C. of Corinth, TX
One of Apollonia’s favorite and earliest memories is singing "Seek Ye First" with her family and other Christians in China. Growing up as a Third Culture Kid, she loved opening the Sonlight packages every summer before school started, smelling the books, reading the back covers, and anticipating the moment when she would begin to read them.
Apollonia deeply enjoys learning and problem-solving, seeing every opportunity to learn as a chance to witness the wonder and glory of God in creation. She is passionate about the beauty of the Church, as it unites people from many countries, cultures, and backgrounds and becomes the Body of Christ. She loves to worship and lead music, playing the bass guitar, piano, and acoustic guitar, and singing.
In the last two years, Apollonia played soccer and learned so much from her team and coaches about living life wholeheartedly. As a senior, she’s realized how many people have poured into her life, and she is excited to cultivate community and walk alongside others. In the future, Apollonia plans to study Mechanical Engineering and Intercultural Studies in college, pursuing her dream of uniting science with missionary work overseas.
Chauvonne M. of Australia
Chauvonne was raised in a family of six and is the second sibling to complete homeschooling and gain university admission. She began using the Sonlight curriculum in fourth grade.
Before she started homeschooling, she was enrolled in a private school that left multiple gaps in her education. With Sonlight, she learned to read and has since developed a love of reading. Math and science were her favorite subjects, and she particularly relished the biology dissections, marveling at how God created the perfectly balanced systems that sustained life.
Chauvonne was baptized at 11 and has consistently aspired to be a servant of Christ. She has:
- accomplished all the levels of Pathfinders (a program like Scouts),
- taken part in many backpacking adventures and international camporees,
- led worship services,
- mentored younger groups, and
- had the chance to connect with other young individuals from around the globe who shared her faith.
Every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas, Chauvonne would drop off bags at houses in the community and then return to collect non-perishable food donations, which were then assembled into food baskets for the underprivileged. She received the Barbara Ackland Kindness Award for helping others.
The adaptability of the Sonlight curriculum has allowed her to enjoy unanticipated experiences, such as a seven-month journey around Australia, gaining work experience at a rural farm, positions at two veterinary clinics, volunteering at Crossroads Youth Ranch (an organization dedicated to helping at-risk youth through equine mentoring), and participating in online university courses during high school. These experiences have allowed her to uncover her passion and learn how to use it to share Christ’s saving grace with others.
The various influences in Chauvonne's life have guided her to pursue a career as a veterinarian. She has gained admission to Murdoch University, located in Perth, Australia. She is excited to explore God’s plan for her future and aims to foster an environment where everyone she interacts with or assists will recognize Jesus through her and offer praise for all He has accomplished.
Owen B. of Bowie, TX
Owen is the oldest of four wonderful brothers and has enjoyed being a Sonlight student since pre-school. Thanks to Sonlight’s excellent book selection, Owen has become an avid reader, and he will occasionally spend whole days reading an engaging story, whether he has the time or not. Particularly impactful were missionary stories like the Christian Heroes: Then and Now series and apologetics books such as Censored Science and The Suppressed Evidence.
Because of books like these and his parents’ teachings and examples, Owen was intellectually aware of the truth of Christianity from an early age. It was not until January 2020, however, that God opened his eyes to his need for personal salvation and led him to turn to Christ for forgiveness. Since he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior, Owen has had the joy of being loved and forgiven by God, Whose presence has helped him endure times of difficulty.
Owen is an active member of his church’s youth group and loves going to church camp and doing Bible studies with his friends. He appreciates the many opportunities his church has given him to serve, which include helping prepare the weekly fellowship meal and leading a small discussion group after the Wednesday night youth service. Volunteering at Vacation Bible School and going on church mission trips have also been valuable experiences for him.
In addition to church and school activities, Owen also enjoys playing the piano, sometimes getting to play in worship services and the youth praise band. His other extracurricular activity was martial arts, which he pursued from the ages of nine to seventeen. He also enjoys running 5K’s with his best friend.
Like most seventeen-year-olds, Owen does not yet know precisely what God wants him to do with his life but hopes to honor God in whatever he does. He plans to study engineering at Oklahoma Baptist University, trusting that God will provide a way to use the skills he learns there for His glory.
Your Student Could Be the Next Sonlight Scholarship Winner
Sonlight partners with families from preschool through high school graduation. As we prepare our curriculum and choose our books, we are future-focused and consider how we are helping parents prepare their children to thrive as they walk in their purpose and enter the workforce. We share parents’ hearts to help children succeed, and our curriculum can be customized with your long-term education goals and vision in mind.
Did you know that Sonlight has awarded nearly $2 million in scholarships to graduates?
Our heart to help prepare students for their educational journey doesn’t stop at equipping students and parents with award-winning curriculum, great books, and activities. Our charitable foundation offers two types of scholarships:
- Academic-focused scholarship
- Service and creative-centered scholarship
We recognize that academic talent is only one type of giftedness. Our scholarship committee encourages those with gifts in service, academics, art, music, and other areas to apply.
Students with good SAT or ACT scores, mission experience, leadership experience, and/or a heart for learning and for Christ qualify! The weighted criteria vary for each scholarship track.
